Wessex Screening Report

On 7^th March 2010, the Health Improvement Board Screening Team of The Council of European Jamaats visited Wessex Jamaat to carry out its popular health screening on the Jamaat members. As always, the day was well attended, with almost 100 people coming to be screened. The screening days attracted members of all ages, from young to old. They catered for all ages, with paediatricians at hand for the children so the whole family could leave with valuable health advice.

Of the stations that they offered, the cardiovascular risk station is always a favourite to begin with. Although with advice centred on weight loss, doing more exercise and giving up smoking, it quickly becomes the least favourite.

The stress management station always had a queue outside the door, keeping their very own psychologist very busy for the day. The new musculoskeletal station was proved a success and after positive feedback, this station was there to stay. The opticians and dentists ensured that they were providing a full body work up and the GPs were there to give a roundup of all the results.

For the first time they had a team of financial advisers advising Jamaat members on the CoEJ HIB Private Medical Insurance Scheme. The discounted rates that they were offering on PMI premiums to community members were certainly generating interest.

They had tremendous support from Wessex Jamaat. They like to use local volunteers and Wessex Jamaat certainly supplied them with a number of volunteers for the day. Wessex is known for its number of pharmacists, and they did not disappoint them. A number of them put themselves forward, not just on the day but also the night before to help set up the hall. As always, the HIB Screening team travelled from all over the country to partake and volunteer for their community.

The day was a success. The Screening Team enjoyed the warm hospitality offered to them by Wessex Jamaat and they look forward to their next screening event in Peterborough in June.

If you would like to volunteer and join their ever growing team, please contact them on hib@coej.org

Br Roshan Gangji President of Wessex Jamaat Quoted:

“Its great to see so many here today. This is clearly a successful program initiated by CoEJ.”

Br Shafiq Mohammedtaki Member of Wessex Jamaat Quoted:

“I would like to comment about the health screening day last Sunday here at Al-Mahdi. This is the first of its kind I have attended / volunteered for and I think it was absolutely great. It was really nice seeing CoEJ organise such a day for our Jamaat and especially seeing members of our own community at large helping / testing / treating / advising their brothers and sisters from their own community.

I think it was great! Jazak’Allah to the organisers / Jamaat for holding such a day.”

Dr Sadik Merali
Health Screening Coordinator